Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways (often abbreviated to VR) is a Post-War caravan company in Victoria and the Bass Strait. Since its rebirth in the 2130s, the company has reached new heights, being one of the most successful caravan companies in the state. In 2287, the company is led by Commissioner Paul Logon. History Pre-War Victorian Railways was founded in 1859 to oversee and run the railways of Victoria. Based out of the Newport Workshops in Williamstown, it performed this task admirably, functioning as well as you can expect a train system to run in a democratic society. However, after the Second World War, the rise of the automobile led to a decrease in the use of the railway system. A century after the Second World War, Victorian Railways had had its budget slashed so hard, it was restricted entirely to the profitable freight routes through Victoria. However, as the Resource Wars grew more and more intense, petrol for cars became more and more scarce. For those with jobs in Melbourne's CBD, public transport was the only way to get to work at a reasonable hour. Victorian Railways trains - powered primarily by Australian fossil fuels - became an increasingly important aspect of daily life for many. The company received a greater budget and could even purchase some nuclear-powered trains, which it put to good use on its freight lines (the Pre-War Australian government was slightly more concerned about its citizens than their US counterparts). End of the Old World On October 23, 2077, the Great War struck Australia, with missiles raining down around Victoria. In Melbourne, nuclear weapons wiped out much of the city centre, halving train lines passing through this area. With nuclear devastation striking the state, many trains were left on the tracks, abandoned by passengers and drivers (EMPs did little to the coal-fired and nuclear-powered engines). By the end of the day, Victorian Railways ceased to exist. For the next 60 years, Victorian Railways was little more than the home to above average salvage. It wasn't until the Mayor of Williamstown, Lance, was confronted with a growing food shortage that the company made a comeback after the Apocalypse. So early after the war, few permanent caravan companies had appeared around Victoria. Lance pumped large amounts of funds and town support into potential companies, ultimately creating Victorian Railways and the Hobson Bay Trading Company. While Hobson Bay dealt with the sea, VR operated out of the old rail yards in Williamstown. -Ballarat, Melbourne-Geelong, Melbourne-Traralgon and Melbourne-Shepparton routes. ]] Victorian Railways started small, spending much of its early years in grease-soaked overalls. Having refurbishing three trains, the company spent much of 2229-31 repairing local rails and reaching out to nearby farmers. Having struck deals with farmers in between Williamstown and Ballarat, VR helped to solve the immediate food shortage. However, hauling razorgrain and maize didn't make the right amount of profit for VR founder Commissioner John Davidson and soon the company expanded into more taboo markets. Rise of a New Economy With rapidly expanding industrial processes in Williamstown, more and more labourers were needed to work the assembly lines. Slavery had long since been forbidden in the town but the Commissioner Davidson believed that, if certain deals were struck with the right politicians and industrialists, a profit could be made on the slave trade. First putting this belief into practice just after Lance's death in 2138, Davidson's belief was quickly proven correct. By 2140, Victorian Railways had hauled nearly 200 slaves into the town. Davidson and his successors took a lesson from these proceedings: with the right amount of caps, any object could be sold. Until 2217, Victorian Railways sold just about every substance possible in and around the railway lines. Psycho, Med-X, Alcohol, "Novelty Toys", and, of course, staples such as food and animal products. The company sold these from stores in and around its headquarters at the Newport Workshops in Williamstown. The company was well known throughout the wasteland as a solid source of employment and entertainment. VR quickly rose to high levels of prosperity around its railway tracks. This success allowed the company to expand outwards. As well as its successful route through to Ballarat, the company opened new lines, most important of which was the route out to Smokesville. From here, Victorian Railways accessed one of its most reliable and above-the-board products - coal and ore. The mines around this area provided coal not only for the trains but also the coal and ore for the factories back in Williamstown. Access to this area was very important. Victorian Railways often looks at the period from 2140-2217 as its golden age, in which it made significant profits and established itself as a reliable, capable Post-War company. Yet, this success could not last forever. Early in 2217, rapidly escalating conflict with the Hobson Bay Trading Company coupled with growing unrest and a weak ruler caused the Wasteland Authority system to collapse under a military coup. The Depression Ironically enough, the Military Junta initially proved helpful to Victorian Railways. military efforts against northern tribals and pirates in Port Philips Bay led to more secure railways and allowed the company to cut back on expenses paid out to client states and vassals. Profits even rose in 2241, when Williamstown and VR forced a peace deal on Gobble-de-Gook, securing the Williamstown-Shepparton railway line. To achieve this military success, the Military Junta in Williamstown had to unite the various factions within the settlement. The military government incorporated elements of the Hobson Bay Trading Company into the settlement government in the 2220s and 30s, yet it wasn't until the 40s that they attempted to bring Victorian Railways into the fold. This attempt was heavy-handed and backfired painfully, causing Victorian Railways to move its headquarters south to Geelong. The exodus from the city caused the Junta to ban the company from trading in the city, welding the gates around the Newport Workshops (the Company's former HQ) shut. The next few years were difficult for the company. Geelong was a decent location for an HQ, but it required significant amounts of work to establish as the necessary offices, workshops and extra tracks. The schism with Williamstown also made raider factions more likely to attack VR trains, increasing costs for the client and vassal settlements. These extra costs were made more crippling by the loss of the lucrative markets in Williamstown. Through the 2240s, the company lurched from crisis to crisis, even losing the loyal satellite of Eureka in 2247. Return to Supremecy This loss marked a low point for the company, where revenue dropped significantly. However, from here the Victorian Railways began to climb. Strengthening relations with the Smokesville allowed the company to expand again. In 2250, a brief alliance with the Hobson Bay Trading Company was signed to oust the Military Junta. Open conflict began around New Years, 2250. Hobson Bay blockaded Williamstown from the sea while Victorian Railways set up a siege surrounding the city, using its economic muscle to prevent traders from hauling supplies to the settlement. Within a week, the citizens of Williamstown had revolted against the Military Junta and the leader, Arnie Pritchards, was executed at the end of January. With much of the military might of the siege coming from the company, Victorian Railways was in a prime position to put their candidate in the position of Mayor. Commissioner Daniel Craig (leader since 2233) placed his malleable brother, Steven Craig, in charge of the settlement. Of course, Commissioner Craig had the real power in the city - what he said, went. While keeping their headquarters in Geelong, Victorian Railways quickly became the dominant power in Williamstown. Business went from good to great. Through the Williamstown Docks, Victorian Railways was connected across the Bass Strait to Flounders Island and its lucrative products. The newly re-opened chem market in Williamstown was beneficial to the company, though not the primary source of income anymore. Transportation of ore and coal from Smokesville became one of the most profitable ventures for the company. With a VR Mayor in Williamstown, business was going very, very well for the company. Separation from Williamstown In 2274, Mayor Craig of Williamstown passed away. The subsequent elections were less than successful for Victorian Railways. Since 2269, the Hobson Bay Trading Company had been campaigning, gossiping and pamphleteering to lower the reputation of Victorian Railways around Williamstown. By revealing Victorian Railways trading practices and partners (i.e. the Eurekan raiders, Slaves, etc), Hobson Bay turned Williamstown against the company. Due to this campaigning, in October 2274, the Williamstown populace elected the HBTC candidate, Mayor Mary Lo. While Lo was definitely biased towards Hobson Bay, Victorian Railways still grew in the first few years. However, a rising sense of superiority in the settlement manifested as an inflated demand for cleanliness, dropping VR chem profits. The company still had much success transporting ore and coal from the east, but the loss of such a valuable chem market stung the company. In 2276, 2 years after the loss of Mayor Craig, the Victorian Railways Commissioner, Daniel Craig, passed away. His successor, Commissioner Charlie Munk, proved capable but less demanding than Craig. The company's loss of the valuable chem market in Williamstown was barely fought against by Munk. Ultimately, this proved beneficial to the company. Munk's aversion to conflict came at a good time for the company - the railways were safe, the client states happy and Williamstown was prospering. Life was good for the company. Fighting with competitors is an expensive business, whether its an economic fight or more physically violent. As of 2287, Munk's ability keep the company out of conflict has paid off. However, with the rise of anti-Southern sentiment in the northern tribals, the company may yet again have to take up arms. It is unknown how Commissioner Munk will handle this. Government Victorian Railways is run slightly differently to the regular caravan company. Commissioners (as the leaders are known) rule to death, being elected by the Governing Board on the death of the Previous Commissioner. The Commissioner oversees the running of the company, which markets and products to expand into and how the company should work with or against its competitors. Since the creation of the company, five Commissioners have led it. Currently, Commissioner Charlie Munk leads the company, having been elected in 2276. Client, Vassal and Sattelite States Due to VR's reliance on somewhat-vulnerable infrastructure, the company has developed a number of client settlements an factions, which act as a screen for potential attackers. Around the railway tracks - especially important junctions - Victorian Railways helped to build up capable settlements which could defend these points. Supplying these groups with the materials necessary to grow and expand, VR puts them in debt, forcing them into servitude to the company. Victorian Railways also supplies other factions, like Eureka or the Head Hunters will military aid and expertise to attack its opponents. Products Victorian Railways has reached such high levels of success due to its ability to buy, transport, protect and sell vast quantities of any form of good. Throughout its history, the company has sold slaves, chems, weapons, ammunition, food, water, oil, raw materials and everything in-between. This has netted them their reputation for underhandedness and lack of morals. In the modern day, VR still sells many of these goods, though it has begun to specialise. Depending on the route the trains are taking, VR trains can be transported food and water, coal and ore (though most of the trains usually carry coal anywhere, whether they are steam-powered or not) or more uncouth products, such as chems (usually Med-X, Buffout and Psycho), slaves and weapons. Victorian Railways makes a steady profit off the transport of coal between Smokesville and Williamstown. Relations As one of the largest trading companies in Post-War Victoria, Victorian Railways has encountered every major faction and settlement in the Bass Strait. As a commercial company, VR trades with almost every faction in the wastes. If not willing to trade, VR takes more of a gunboat diplomacy way of interaction. Either way, the company has an undeniably large role in the region. Hobson Bay Trading Company The greatest enemy of the VR, the Hobsons Bay Trading Company was formed as a competitor to the VR for providing supplies to the town of Williamstown. VR stations along seaside routes are often attacked by trading company agents masquerading as pirates. Williamstown Williamstown is the company's largest market in southern Victoria. While the chem market has dried up in recent years, the Industrialists still create a high demand or coal and ore. While the general populace is against the company, the upper classes of Williamstown love the company. The Newport Workshop station has even be reopened. Category:Groups Category:Victoria Category:Caravan Companies